Key facts
- A researcher from the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations argued the EU is blaming China's economic rise for its own shortcomings.
- The EU is reportedly preparing tougher measures to counter what it perceives as a 'China shock 2.0'.
- Two high-level meetings between the EU and China, including a digital dialogue and a diplomat's visit, were reportedly cancelled or postponed.
- China's foreign ministry stated that communications are ongoing regarding the dialogues.
A researcher from a Beijing-linked think tank has accused the European Union of clinging to a flawed narrative that China's economic rise poses an inherent threat to Europe, attributing the bloc's own economic difficulties to China's normal development.
Guo Mingxu, head of the Europe Economic Project at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, argued in a social media post that narratives such as 'China’s industrial upgrading equals a threat' and 'China’s export growth equals a hidden danger' have proliferated, suggesting that China's normal development is viewed as an offense against Europe.